#1
برفتند و روی هوا تیره گشت
✦
ز سهراب گردون همی خیره گشت
“They departed as the air turned dark; the heavens remained astounded by Sohrab's prowess.”
#2
تو گفتی ز جنگش سرشت آسمان
✦
نیارامد از تاختن یک زمان
“You would say heaven fashioned him purely for war, never letting him rest from charging even for a moment.”
#3
وگر باره زیر اندرش آهنست
✦
شگفتی روانست و رویین تنست
“And if iron were the steed beneath him, he himself moved wondrously as though bronzen-bodied.”
#4
شب تیره آمد سوی لشکرش
✦
میان سوده از جنگ و از خنجرش
“Dark night arrived at his camp, his waist worn from combat and the gripping of his dagger.”
#5
به هومان چنین گفت کامروز هور
✦
برآمد جهان کرد پر چنگ و شور
“He spoke thus to Houman: 'Today when the sun rose, it filled the world with turmoil and violent clamor.'”
#6
شما را چه کرد آن سوار دلیر
✦
که یال یلان داشت و آهنگ شیر
“'What became of you all before that brave rider, who possessed the mane of heroes and the charge of a lion?'”
#7
بدو گفت هومان که فرمان شاه
✦
چنان بد کز ایدر نجنبد سپاه
“Houman answered him: 'The king's command was that the army should not stir from this place.'”
#8
همه کار ماسخت ناساز بود
✦
به آورد گشتن چه آغاز بود
“'All our affairs were ill-fitted; how could a general battle be joined under such terms?'”
#9
بیامد یکی مرد پرخاشجوی
✦
برین لشکر گشن بنهاد روی
“'A single battle-seeking man came forth and turned his face toward this vast host.'”
#10
تو گفتی ز مستی کنون خاستست
✦
وگر جنگ بایک تن آراستست
“'You would say he had just risen from drunkenness, or that he prepared to fight all alone.'”
#11
چنین گفت سهراب کاو زین سپاه
✦
نکرد از دلیران کسی را تباه
“Sohrab said: 'Out of this army, he did not destroy any of the warriors from his heart.'”
#12
از ایرانیان من بسی کشته‌ام
✦
زمین را به خون و گل آغشته‌ام
“'Yet I have slain many of the Iranians, staining the earth with blood and mud.'”
#13
کنون خوان همی باید آراستن
✦
بباید به می غم ز دل کاستن
“'Now a feast must be prepared; wine must be sought to diminish the heart's grief.'”
#14
وزان روی رستم سپه را بدید
✦
سخن راند با گیو و گفت و شنید
“And on the other side, Rostam surveyed the army, conversing and exchanging words with Gev.”
#15
که امروز سهراب رزم آزمای
✦
چگونه به جنگ اندر آورد پای
“Asking: 'How did battle-tested Sohrab set foot into the fighting today?'”
#16
چنین گفت با رستم گرد گیو
✦
کزین گونه هرگز ندیدیم نیو
“Gev, the valiant hero, said to Rostam: 'We have never seen a brave warrior of such nature.'”
#17
بیامد دمان تا به قلب سپاه
✦
ز لشکر بر طوس شد کینه خواه
“'He came roaring to the center of the host, seeking vengeance near Tus's position.'”
#18
که او بود بر زین و نیزه بدست
✦
چو گرگین فرود آمد او برنشست
“'While Tus was mounted with spear in hand, he dismounted like Gorgin and sat back up.'”
#19
بیامد چو با نیزه او را بدید
✦
به کردار شیر ژیان بردمید
“'When he saw Tus with his spear, he roared like a roaring lion.'”
#20
عمودی خمیده بزد بر برش
✦
ز نیرو بیفتاد ترگ از سرش
“'He struck him on the chest with a curved mace; by the force of it, the helmet flew from his head.'”
#21
نتابید با او بتابید روی
✦
شدند از دلیران بسی جنگ جوی
“'No one could withstand him, so they turned their faces; many battle-seeking heroes fled before him.'”
#22
ز گردان کسی مایهٔ او نداشت
✦
جز از پیلتن پایهٔ او نداشت
“'Among the warriors, none possessed his stature; none held his rank save the elephant-bodied champion.'”
#23
هم آیین پیشین نگه داشتیم
✦
سپاهی برو ساده بگماشتیم
“'We kept the ancient tradition, assigning a simple guard against him.'”
#24
سواری نشد پیش او یکتنه
✦
همی تاخت از قلب تا میمنه
“'Not a single rider went single-handed against him, while he charged from the center to the right wing.'”
#25
غمی گشت رستم ز گفتار اوی
✦
بر شاه کاووس بنهاد روی
“Rostam became grieved by his words and set his face toward King Kay Kavus.”
#26
چو کاووس کی پهلوان را بدید
✦
بر خویش نزدیک جایش گزید
“When Kay Kavus saw the champion, he chose a seat for him close to his own royal throne.”
#27
ز سهراب رستم زبان برگشاد
✦
ز بالا و برزش همی کرد یاد
“Rostam opened his tongue regarding Sohrab, recounting his height and immense stature.”
#28
که کس در جهان کودک نارسید
✦
بدین شیرمردی و گردی ندید
“Saying: 'No one in the world has ever seen an underage child with such lion-like bravery and heroism.'”
#29
به بالا ستاره بساید همی
✦
تنش را زمین برگراید همی
“'His height touches the stars; the very earth seems to bend under his heavy weight.'”
#30
دو بازو و رانش ز ران هیون
✦
همانا که دارد ستبری فزون
“'His two arms and thighs possess thickness surely greater than the thighs of a giant elephant.'”
#31
به گرز و به تیغ و به تیر و کمند
✦
ز هرگونه‌ای آزمودیم بند
“'With mace, sword, arrow, and lasso, we tested every kind of war technique.'”
#32
سرانجام گفتم که من پیش ازین
✦
بسی گرد را برگرفتم ز زین
“'In the end I said to myself: Before this, I lifted many a warrior out of his saddle.'”
#33
گرفتم دوال کمربند اوی
✦
بیفشاردم سخت پیوند اوی
“'I seized the strap of his belt and squeezed his limbs tightly with force.'”
#34
همی خواستم کش ز زین برکنم
✦
چو دیگر کسانش به خاک افگنم
“'I wished to pluck him from the saddle and fling him to the dirt like all the rest.'”
#35
گر از باد جنبان شود کوه خار
✦
نجنبید بر زین بر آن نامدار
“'Though a granite mountain might shake from the wind, that famous warrior did not budge in his saddle.'”
#36
چو فردا بیاید به دشت نبرد
✦
به کشتی همی بایدم چاره کرد
“'When he comes to the battlefield tomorrow, I must seek a remedy in wrestling.'”
#37
بکوشم ندانم که پیروز کیست
✦
ببینیم تا رای یزدان به چیست
“'I shall strive, not knowing who will triumph; we shall see what Yazdan's will decrees.'”
#38
کزویست پیروزی و فر و زور
✦
هم او آفرینندهٔ ماه و هور
“'For from Him comes victory, divine glory, and strength; He is the Creator of both moon and sun.'”
#39
بدو گفت کاووس یزدان پاک
✦
دل بدسگالت کند چاک چاک
“Kavus said to him: 'May holy Yazdan tear your evil-wishing enemy into pieces!'”
#40
من امشب به پیش جهان آفرین
✦
بمالم فراوان دو رخ بر زمین
“'Tonight before the Creator of the world, I shall rub my cheeks repeatedly upon the dust.'”
#41
کزویست پیروزی و دستگاه
✦
به فرمان او تابد از چرخ ماه
“'For victory and power come from Him; by His command the moon shines from the heavens.'”
#42
کند تازه این بار کام ترا
✦
برآرد به خورشید نام ترا
“'May He renew your heart's desire this time, and exalt your name unto the sun!'”
#43
بدو گفت رستم که با فر شاه
✦
برآید همه کامهٔ نیک خواه
“Rostam answered him: 'With the king's royal glory, all desires of well-wishers shall be fulfilled.'”
#44
به لشکر گه خویش بنهاد روی
✦
پراندیشه جان و سرش کینه جوی
“He turned his face toward his own army encampment, his heart full of anxiety and his head seeking vengeance.”
#45
زواره بیامد خلیده روان
✦
که چون بود امروز بر پهلوان
“Zourareh came with a pierced, sorrowful soul, asking how the champion had fared today.”
#46
ازو خوردنی خواست رستم نخست
✦
پس آنگه ز اندیشگان دل بشست
“Rostam first called for food, and thereupon cleansed his heart of anxious thoughts.”
#47
چنین راند پیش برادر سخن
✦
که بیدار دل باش و تندی مکن
“He then addressed his brother thus: 'Keep a watchful heart, and act not in anger.”
#48
به شبگیر چون من به آوردگاه
✦
روم پیش آن ترک آوردخواه
“At dawn, when I go forth unto the battlefield before that challenge-seeking Turk,”
#49
بیاور سپاه و درفش مرا
✦
همان تخت و زرینه کفش مرا
“Bring forth my army and my banner, as well as my royal throne and golden boots.”
#50
همی باش بر پیش پرده‌سرای
✦
چو خورشید تابان برآید ز جای
“And remain standing before the royal pavilion when the radiant sun rises high.'”
#51
گر ایدون که پیروز باشم به جنگ
✦
به آوردگه بر نسازم درنگ
“'If it so happens that I emerge victorious in battle, I shall not linger upon the field;”
#52
و گر خود دگرگونه گردد سخن
✦
تو زاری میاغاز و تندی مکن
“But if fate should ordain otherwise, begin not to wail, nor yield to sudden rage.”
#53
مباشید یک تن برین رزمگاه
✦
مسازید جستن سوی رزم راه
“Let not a single one of you linger on this battlefield, nor seek any path toward combat.”
#54
یکایک سوی زابلستان شوید
✦
از ایدر به نزدیک دستان شوید
“Depart at once, all of you, unto Zabolestan, and go from here to the side of Dastan.”
#55
تو خرسند گردان دل مادرم
✦
چنین کرد یزدان قضا بر سرم
“Do thou comfort the heart of my mother, for such was the destiny God decreed for me.”
#56
بگویش که تو دل به من در مبند
✦
که سودی ندارت بودن نژند
“Tell her: "Bind not thy heart to me, for being sorrowful will bring thee no avail."”
#57
کس اندر جهان جاودانه نماند
✦
ز گردون مرا خود بهانه نماند
“No man remains in this world forever, and I have no grievance against the spinning heavens.”
#58
بسی شیر و دیو و پلنگ و نهنگ
✦
تبه شد به چنگم به هنگام جنگ
“Full many a lion, demon, leopard, and dragon perished by my grasp in time of war;”
#59
بسی باره و دژ که کردیم پست
✦
نیاورد کس دست من زیر دست
“Full many a fortress and stronghold have I leveled, and no man ever brought my hand beneath his own.”
#60
در مرگ را آن بکوبد که پای
✦
باسپ اندر آرد بجنبد ز جای
“Whosoever puts his foot into the stirrup and rides forth, knocks upon the door of death.”
#61
اگر سال گشتی فزون ازهزار
✦
همین بود خواهد سرانجام کار
“Even were one's years to exceed a thousand, such will inevitably be the final end of life.”
#62
چو خرسند گردد به دستان بگوی
✦
که از شاه گیتی مبرتاب روی
“When she is consoled, say unto Dastan: "Turn not thy face away from the king of the world."”
#63
اگر جنگ سازد تو سستی مکن
✦
چنان رو که او راند از بن سخن
“If he prepares for war, show no weakness; proceed exactly as he decrees from the root.”
#64
همه مرگ راییم پیر و جوان
✦
به گیتی نماند کسی جاودان
“We are all bound for death, both old and young; no one abides in this world forever.'”
#65
ز شب نیمه‌ای گفت سهراب بود
✦
دگر نیمه آرامش و خواب بود
“For half the night, 'tis said, he spoke of Sohrab; the other half was spent in peaceful sleep.”